Let's Talk About Rumors

[Clockwork]

This is an editorial I wrote in response to some of the "suggestions" that were made recently. I figured I'd share it and see what feedback occurs. Here's a small snippet and a link to the full blog post:

There has been some minor backlash at people who post rumors, so let's talk about that.

Recently we had a situation where we found out that two rumors that were making the rounds were fake. And this has prompted some criticism that I think should be addressed. So dig into some of what was said and see why it doesn't hold any water.

http://www.talkwargaming.com/2013/09/lets-talk-about-rumors.html

[Mr Mystery]

Yeah I'd agree overall.

Used to work for GW (on several occasions) and even though I was only a shop mook (and a one day a week one at that) I'd occasionally turn up the odd rumour, as my then manager often had a play test copy of the book. One particularly memorable one was the previous Orc and Gobbo book. Copy I saw, Gobbos were 2 points a pop before upgrade. Final copy? 3 points a pop. Now my rumour was 100% accurate, in that I was relaying back precisely what I saw. However, the rumour itself turned out to be off the mark. Many people decided I had been lying all along....

Moral here? Playtesting changes things really, really quickly. Playtest O&G book was a PDF print off, in black and white, but otherwise fully page set. Simple thing like swapping out a points cost can be done in no time, as can changing the wording of any rules in the book!

Overall, people need to chill, and remember rumour does not mean promise. Sadly, a good chunk of 'rumours' are clearly entirely made up. You can spot them a mile off. Even the more accurate ones can still be out, as it can be down to misinterpretation on someone's behalf.

Also, which rumours were admitted to be falsified? I'm intrigued!

[Anggul]

In the end, rumours give us nothing anyway. We like to hear them because we're excited for new things, and I'm no different, but when you step back and think about it, they're completely pointless. Until we actually have the real thing and can buy the models and use the new rules in games, we gain nothing. We read these things that might be happening and we comment on them, but unless GW actually take heed of our comments and make changes accordingly, which I doubt, then it's all for nought. We could remain completely oblivious and only find out about things when GW officially releases them and we would be no better or worse off. The only thing which actually affects us is the pre-order/release date, so that we can put money aside for it. Rules and model rumours mean nothing.

And yet, I still dive on every Tyranid rumour, teeth bared. Silly really.

[Skullchewer]

Good article, I entirely agree. I think the problem is that people have taken rumours as gospel in the past, and then been disappointed.

[eldargal]

Rumours really should be treated as a rough guide to plan your painting and purchases around. Strong rumours that Dark Elves are coming in October? Get your remaining Dark Elves painted up and perhaps spend less on impulse buys and other things. One thing that really annoys me is when people ask 'where are all the confirmed rumours'. If they were confirmed they wouldn't be a rumour. The problem is people don't actually want rumours they want news and get cranky when the vagaries of rumourmongering gets things wrong.

[Bigred]

Exactly -

Rumors at their best are a glimpse into an ever-changing development process. At their worst they are blatant mis-information.

But fundamentally they are fun and exciting becasue they give us a vehicle to talk about the hobby we all love.

As we get close to release dates, there is that magic transition period when rumors transmute into actual "leaks" meaning glimpes and information from the finished goods that are already on pallets and in the distrubution channel. They tend to tighten up quite a bit and lead us in to the release date.

So enjoy rumors, read rumors, talk about them, and above all take them all with a grain of salt. That codex you want will be here soon enough - but that doesn't mean you can't have fun along the way.

On the frontpage a commenter demanded that we go back and "only printed fact-checked rumors"

I replied "yup, we checked with the guys upstairs - these are actual rumors"

-Larry

[Rissan4ever]

I heard that all rumors were false.

[Wildeybeast]

Until either verified or falsified, aren't they are both simultaneously true and false as well as being neither?

[Rissan4ever]

Yes, they're like Schrodinger's Cat. That's their nature. Expecting any rumor you read to be "fact-checked" or "verified" in some way is foolish. I could get online and say anything, with absolutely nothing to back it up, and it would be a rumor. In fact, I've done that on a number of rumor threads. I've posted a list of things I claim to have heard, some of which are plausible, while others are totally outlandish, just to see who'd take the bait.

Does that make me a bad person?:D

[Demonus]

I heard that all rumors were false.

This is merely a rumor my friend.

[Rissan4ever]

This is merely a rumor my friend.
But it's verified. I totally fact-checked it.

[Mr Mystery]

Also, be very wary of people claiming to have the book.... it's not always so!

Prior to the release of 4th Ed, I was again working for GW. And being a staffer, I got a free copy of the rules. Off to Warseer I went, offering clarification. And despite having the book on my lap, some decided I was talking biscuits. Even after I posted up a photo of my holding the thing. Apparently, as well as talking biscuits, I'd photoshopped the photo......Whereas one of the people saying I was lying claimed to have the book, but vehemently refused to either post a photo, or describe the new art found on a specific page, as per my request.

[eldargal]

Some people don't seem to know the difference between being sceptical and being aggressive towards rumour mongers.

[Rissan4ever]

Some people don't seem to know the difference between being sceptical and being aggressive towards rumour mongers.
Exactly. It's fine to take rumors with a grain of salt, but being belligerent toward "false" rumors is just rude.

[Mr Mystery]

Exactly. It's fine to take rumors with a grain of salt, but being belligerent toward "false" rumors is just rude.

Depends if it's obviously them talking biscuits or not. For instance, the recent IG ones about super heavies being in the book....

[eldargal]

Well yes but there is a difference between saying 'I think they are making that up' and abusing them which sadly often happens, not so much on BoLs at least.

[Clockwork]

On the frontpage a commenter demanded that we go back and "only printed fact-checked rumors"

I replied "yup, we checked with the guys upstairs - these are actual rumors"

-Larry

When I linked the article on the fake Tyranid rumors in the comments (because I wanted disseminate the information as quickly as I could) someone tried saying the same thing in response.

Actually 2 of those "requests" I talk about come from the BoLS comments, and the third from comments over on Natfka's blog.

There is definitely a misconception on what people can and can not do when it comes to rumors.

EDIT:

Well yes but there is a difference between saying 'I think they are making that up' and abusing them which sadly often happens, not so much on BoLs at least.

I think it's more accurate to say that it doesn't happen in the BoLS forums, but it definitely happens in the comments on the blog.

Well that and CSM players hijacking all conversation to lament their codex yet again.

[Cap'nSmurfs]

One of the things I've also found with some of the rumours which turn out to be inaccurate is that there are a lot of honestly-made mistakes. Someone didn't read the rule clearly before they rushed to spill the beans, or they misinterpreted a picture, or whatever. We saw in the recent 40KRadio Space Marines rumours - which turned out to be pretty accurate! - was that the first tranche of rumours missed out several important details (that the Ultramarines Doctrines were one use per game, on one turn each, for instance). People misinterpret. It doesn't mean they're malicious (it doesn't even mean they're stupid!)

[Clockwork]

One of the things I've also found with some of the rumours which turn out to be inaccurate is that there are a lot of honestly-made mistakes. Someone didn't read the rule clearly before they rushed to spill the beans, or they misinterpreted a picture, or whatever. We saw in the recent 40KRadio Space Marines rumours - which turned out to be pretty accurate! - was that the first tranche of rumours missed out several important details (that the Ultramarines Doctrines were one use per game, on one turn each, for instance). People misinterpret. It doesn't mean they're malicious (it doesn't even mean they're stupid!)

In the case of 40k Radio, they were intentionally withholding information, at times without even telling people, about the stuff they had to share. Now I get that they were trying to get people to listen to their show, but being more upfront about what was being withheld would have been better.

But yes, mistakes happen. Sometimes you misunderstand something, or aren't given the complete image and it leads to the wrong conclusion. Honestly I don't think that's a wrong thing, just a cost of admission to ride on the rumor train.

[Cap'nSmurfs]

Ah, I didn't realise the dripfeeding was intentional. I don't like that.

[Clockwork]

Ah, I didn't realise the dripfeeding was intentional. I don't like that.

Not many people did. If they were more upfront about it, then we'd been more alright with it I think but stuff like the UM rumors were intentionally not fully answered and not hinted at until about a day before their podcast went online giving us about two weeks of people flying off the handle.

Now we'll be more expecting of that next time, but still that was a bit dirty to do it in that fashion. Especially the glee you could hear in their voices on the show when they mention it.